Thai workers torch Sanyo plant title

From the Militant,Vol. 61, no. 2. 13 January, 1997

About 2,000 workers at a Sanyo Universal Electric plant
in Thailand burned the office building and four-story
warehouse containing refrigerators, TVs, and air
conditioners, to the ground December 17. They were
protesting a substantial reduction in year-end bonuses.
Bonuses and overtime pay make up a substantial proportion
of take-home wages for most workers in Thailand. "The
management says they don't have enough money to give us
more," a factory worker, who identified herself as Anna,
told reporters. "But they are lying. I've been working here
seven years and this is the first time they'll give us less
than the previous year." Police arrested and charged six
workers with setting the blaze; the workers denied the
charges.

The following day authorities responded to another
protest against reduced bonuses, this time by 1,500
workers at the Krung Thai Bank, Thailand's second largest
commercial bank. The government offered to make up the
difference with last year's payment.